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How to understand physics and chemistry? (1 Viewer)

eyeseeyou

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Most of the time when I'm studying physics and chemistry, I'm rote learning most of the content (if not all) and I can't get into the habit of understanding something. Could someone please give me some advice on how to understand physics and chemistry (and when I mean understand I mean have it stuck to your head so then you don't have to spend too long studying every week)

Thanks in advance
 

ragingcurry

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Most of the time when I'm studying physics and chemistry, I'm rote learning most of the content (if not all) and I can't get into the habit of understanding something. Could someone please give me some advice on how to understand physics and chemistry (and when I mean understand I mean have it stuck to your head so then you don't have to spend too long studying every week)

Thanks in advance
Get information from different sources, read and re-read it several times, until it makes sense. Then you should try to explain it to yourself or write it down on a piece of paper (that's what I do and it seems to work for me). You could also watch videos. They sometimes help clarify things and deepen your understanding of things. I don't know if this will help, but it's worth a shot. :smile:
 

buckskinbrumby

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Most of the time when I'm studying physics and chemistry, I'm rote learning most of the content (if not all) and I can't get into the habit of understanding something. Could someone please give me some advice on how to understand physics and chemistry (and when I mean understand I mean have it stuck to your head so then you don't have to spend too long studying every week)

Thanks in advance
Another thing that might help is applying the knowledge that you have learned to real-life. Eg. when we started learning about vectors and the forces acting upon objects in different situations in physics, I would then apply that while traveling to school each morning, such as when going around the corner, what forces were acting upon the passengers in the car (momentum, direction, seatbelt, all that jazz)? And, hypothetically, what would happen if something changed, such as not wearing a seatbelt or hitting an object? Chem is the same, especially after doing biochem and what happens to food and the energy within when we eat and during exercise and that. Not everyone does this, but I find it really helpful as means that not only am I going over the things that we're learning in class, but I'm remembering it as well because I'm finding interesting applications for it that also explain what's going on in the world around me (why I love science haha), and it's ingrained enough now that I do it subconsciously aha.
Another thing that might help is basically what ragingcurry said, but re-teaching it to yourself in a way that you understand and learn well with. Personally, that's just re-teaching (the only reason why I understand, albeit partially, biochem) and going over content. But definitely going over your notes and other peoples, because everyone has a different way of taking notes and absorbing information, some will help you others won't (eg. I take lots of detailed notes and then pull them apart to make minimal ones, a friend takes dot-points basically and understands it all).
Hope that helps =)
 

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If you are having diifficulty with topics, just go to CrashCourse or Khan Academy to reinforce your understanding.
 

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How to understand physics and chemistry?
You don't.
 

Flop21

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There's nothing wrong with rote learning things, sometimes you just need to retain certain information.

But yeah you should be trying to understand why you're learning things, and the basic concepts. I suggest watching some videos, personally I find it extremely useful to visualise things.
 

plane

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There's nothing wrong with rote learning things, sometimes you just need to retain certain information.

But yeah you should be trying to understand why you're learning things, and the basic concepts. I suggest watching some videos, personally I find it extremely useful to visualise things.
Depends on what type of learner you are; visual, auditory, read-write, or kinesthetic.
 

Flop21

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Depends on what type of learner you are; visual, auditory, read-write, or kinesthetic.
And? Are you saying that there are people out there who fail to learn things from videos?

I find it hard to believe, but don't doubt that there's a possibility they're out there.




Anyway videos are a big combo of all types of learning, they combine visual, auditory and writing usually.
 

buckskinbrumby

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And? Are you saying that there are people out there who fail to learn things from videos?

I find it hard to believe, but don't doubt that there's a possibility they're out there.




Anyway videos are a big combo of all types of learning, they combine visual, auditory and writing usually.
I know that I don't learn as much from videos as I do from practical application that I do myself and can see how things work or from reading. Everyone has different learning styles
 

Flop21

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I know that I don't learn as much from videos as I do from practical application that I do myself and can see how things work or from reading. Everyone has different learning styles
Doesn't make sense. You can't do 'practical application' before you understand what you need to do, i.e. have never learned any theory.

I can understand the reading part though. If you just like reading words (vs videos), then yes I can understand you not learning from videos the best (but most people are not just one learning style, they're a combination).
 

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Doesn't make sense. You can't do 'practical application' before you understand what you need to do, i.e. have never learned any theory.

I can understand the reading part though. If you just like reading words (vs videos), then yes I can understand you not learning from videos the best (but most people are not just one learning style, they're a combination).
i don't think buck is negating the idea of videos and learning lmao; i think what they're saying is that videos might appeal more to aural and visual type learners than other types. Take understanding the heart for example. maybe u learn better by watching a video on someone explaining the diff parts of the heart whilst buck might learn better by dissecting a heart or making a 3D model of the heart. they may know the theory already but actually going through a physical application relating to whatever they're learning might help connect everything.
 

Flop21

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i don't think buck is negating the idea of videos and learning lmao; i think what they're saying is that videos might appeal more to aural and visual type learners than other types. Take understanding the heart for example. maybe u learn better by watching a video on someone explaining the diff parts of the heart whilst buck might learn better by dissecting a heart or making a 3D model of the heart. they may know the theory already but actually going through a physical application relating to whatever they're learning might help connect everything.

Like I said.... "and?".

I just suggested "watch a video", why are you trying to argue that videos are for x learners. Who cares.

I disagree with all of you. No one is one 'learning style' (myth alert). If you can't learn something from a well made video, there's something wrong with you (because that implies you cannot gain information from a visual and auditory source).

It's simply a personal preference.

But I strongly believe a well made video is best. And that is all I shall say.
 

buckskinbrumby

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Doesn't make sense. You can't do 'practical application' before you understand what you need to do, i.e. have never learned any theory.

I can understand the reading part though. If you just like reading words (vs videos), then yes I can understand you not learning from videos the best (but most people are not just one learning style, they're a combination).
Not saying that, just that doing the prac concrete it in my mind, compared to doing more theory

i don't think buck is negating the idea of videos and learning lmao; i think what they're saying is that videos might appeal more to aural and visual type learners than other types. Take understanding the heart for example. maybe u learn better by watching a video on someone explaining the diff parts of the heart whilst buck might learn better by dissecting a heart or making a 3D model of the heart. they may know the theory already but actually going through a physical application relating to whatever they're learning might help connect everything.
Thanks, what I was trying to say

Like I said.... "and?".

I just suggested "watch a video", why are you trying to argue that videos are for x learners. Who cares.

I disagree with all of you. No one is one 'learning style' (myth alert). If you can't learn something from a well made video, there's something wrong with you (because that implies you cannot gain information from a visual and auditory source).

It's simply a personal preference.

But I strongly believe a well made video is best. And that is all I shall say.
Fair point, but I wasn't saying that videos's are for x lerners, just that as you said, videos work well for some people and not for others. I'm one of the others that they don't work as well for
 

Flop21

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not saying that, just that doing the prac concrete it in my mind, compared to doing more theory



thanks, what i was trying to say



fair point, but i wasn't saying that videos's are for x lerners, just that as you said, videos work well for some people and not for others. I'm one of the others that they don't work as well for
videos are best
 

turntaker

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For physics use Physics in Focus, it has really good explanations. For concepts which you have difficulty with, just research on google.
 

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